Available online here

“A Part of the
Commercial Retail
Puzzle”
Abet: a small part?
Bill Gray, Executive Director
Riley Area Development Corporation
Fostering Commercial Urban Strategies
“Jumpstarting Economic Development in Core
Neighborhoods”
“Local Community Development Corporations (CDC’s) pay
an enormous role in the redevelopment of areas that have a
history of economic divestment.”
What is FOCUS?
A collaboration of:
The Indianapolis Coalition of Neighborhood Development (ICND)
The Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC)
Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
City of Indianapolis
FOCUS has four primary goals:
Increase active commercial development and investment in
core urban neighborhoods.
Develop new ways to market urban neighborhoods.
Develop neighborhood-based expertise and capacity.
Work to alleviate Public Policy barriers.
What is FOCUS doing:
Groundbreaking Market Studies aimed at identifying
opportunities and barriers to retail development in tow pilot
neighborhoods.
North:
Near North, Mapleton – Fall Creek, Crown Hill and Citizens
neighborhoods.
South:
Concord, Southeast Neighborhood Development (SEND),
and West Indianapolis neighborhoods.
Supporting other retail initiatives of member CDC’s
Concord Community Development Corporation:
Emrich Furniture Building, serves as a headquarters of
many not-for-profit organizations.
Southeast Neighborhood Development (SEND):
Historic Fountain Block that houses a library, community
meeting place and senior housing.
Fountain Square Theatre Building
Riley Area Development Corporation (RADC):
Davlan/Hoosier Retail Flats
Massachusetts Avenue Development Plan
Riley Area Development Corporation
The mission of Riley Area Development Corporation is to create
partnerships to develop, support, and enhance a diverse urban
community fabric through…
The facilitation and development of affordable housing for the permanent
inclusion of lower income residents in the Riley neighborhoods.
The promotion of increased density and mixed-use development to
create a richly diverse and comfortable urban environment.
The creation of well planned, connected open space in order to
provide an aesthetically pleasing urban experience.
The promotion and development of businesses for the provision
of essential services.
Massachusetts Avenue Sidewalk Renaissance
One of the first projects of RADC.
This project was designed to attract new businesses and customers to the
Massachusetts Avenue retail and arts district.
Over $1 million was invested in infrastructure improvement including: 50 new
landscaping beds and historic character street lamps.
This dramatically changed the street character of the areas “main street”.
Mass. Attractions Project
The objective to assemble a collection of public sculptures created by
contemporary Indiana artists and install them at key locations on or near
Massachusetts Avenue to solidify in the minds of residents that area is the
“arts district” for Indianapolis.
Sculptures to date include:
Viewfinder, 1996, Eric Nordgulen.
Visual and Mental Paradoxes, 1999, Jerald Jacquard (College/Mass.)
The Davlan
The Avenue Condo’s and
Hoosier Retail Flats
Partnership
• City of Indianapolis -- HUD Grant
• Riley Area Development Corporation
• Indianapolis Downtown, Inc.
Coordinating Committee
Parking Committee
Marketing Committee
Recruitment Committee
Small Business Development Committee
Streetscape and Arts Programming
Financial Gathering and Redevelopment Planning
Small Business Development
Committee
Objective
Develop small business support programs
that meet the needs of existing and new
businesses.
Accomplishments
• Conducted business needs survey of Mass
Ave businesses
• Developed 4 business support programs
Goals of Small Business
Development Support Programs
• Give businesses access to information
• Improve business planning and
operations
• Give incentives for businesses and
property owners to invest
Facade and Business Support
Grant Program
• Pool of $100,000
• Two pronged approach to support
businesses operators and property owners
Partnership
• City of Indianapolis -- HUD Grant
• Riley Area Development Corporation
• Indianapolis Downtown, Inc.
Grants’ Impact
• 24 recipients
• $100,000 pool generates $328,000 of total
investment
• Newly opened and long-time businesses
• Recruitment of new businesses
725 Mass Ave
870 - 888 Mass Ave
Facade Grants Impact
• Impact 19 street level businesses
occupying 115,000 square feet
• Renovation of 4 buildings with 25,000
square feet of vacant street level space
and a vacant 12 unit apartment building
Facade Grants Impact
• Assist recruitment or opening of 26,000
square feet of restaurant space
• Creation of 4,400 square feet of new
retail space
Business Support Grant Goals
• Attract more customers and increase
sales
• Improve business operations and
management
• Grow and become more profitable and
successful
Prestige Catering
Silver in the City
Boca Loca Beads
Indianapolis City Market
Business Support Grants
Impact
• Impact 44 businesses occupying 140,000
square feet of street level space
• Benefit 6 women or minority owned
businesses and 2 artists
• Support 2 brand new businesses
Streetscape and
Arts Programming Committee
Goal
To stimulate the creation of a sustainable, diverse, unique,
and nationally recognized cultural and artistic experience.
This will be achieved by working in close collaboration with
neighborhood stakeholders and the arts community to focus
on visual and performing arts.
Streetscape development will reinforce the Arts District by
providing a vibrant and pedestrian friendly environment.
Accomplishments
• Sponsored Holiday Window decorating
contest
• Confirmed Mass Ave as a Monon Trail
destination, held public meeting
• Landscaping Enhancements
• Spring planting made possible by a $3,000 grant from KIB
– 50 volunteers
– 304 perennials
– 1,800 summer flowers
Before
After
Future Plans:
• Temporary Arts Plan
• Place 9 additional trash receptacles
• Develop Master Plan to include
landscaping, benches, bike racks, trash
receptacles, art, banners, lighting, bus
shelters and possible funding sources
Marketing Committee
Objective
Attract more traffic to Mass Ave more often
to spend money.
Encourage Mass Ave customers to enjoy all
businesses on Mass Ave.
Accomplishments
• Assessed current and available marketing
tools
• Developed a communication plan and
list of available tools
Accomplishments
• Conducted an imaging session and
forwarded input to Hirons & Co. to begin
to develop a graphic image
• Marketed Mardi Gras Mambo and Artful
Tread
Mardi Gras Mambo Marketing
• Advertisement in
Indianapolis Star and
Indianapolis Recorder
• Special fax sent to 2,500
Downtown workers
• Featured on IDI website
Future Plans
• Partner on advertisements in the Fall
Downtown Guide
• Market Mass Av Events